Category: shawl

2017 has certainly had it’s ups and it’s downs. I am pleased to report that it is ending on an up. I have really enjoyed perusing back through my posts and have picked out my favourite from each month in way of reviewing 2017 here at the nest. Before we begin I just wanted to say a huge thank you to all of my seasoned readers, to those of you that have recently discovered this little corner of yarniness and to you if you have just stumbled across this post by accident.

Without all of you, I would just be here, hooking and writing and hooking some more; annoying my family by taking photo’s every 2 minutes and whilst that would be ok, it is so much more fun with you dropping by and saying hi every once in a while. You encourage me and inspire me to keep blogging about all things yarny and for that I am very grateful.

So grab a glass of prosecco or the bottle! or maybe a cuppa if you prefer and lets look back at 2017 here at the nest.

January 2017

crochet in bed.

2017 began with shawls, having completed x2 virus shawls I had the bug for more. This‘ is the ‘pink shawl’ by Cecile Balladino, and it is still one of my favourites although I still can’t call it the ‘pink shawl!’

February 2017

I had so much fun doing the yarn love challenge during February. A post a day was a challenge, but I relished the daily prods to share.

I’d love to do this again in 2018.

March 2017

Sunday Shawl hooking

Another month another shawl…This time the beautiful Sunday Shawl by Alia Bland. This project proved to be the perfect way to jump into spring, maybe it was those delicious pastels against the warmth of the grey.

April2017

Alpaca cake…

A milestone birthday, an alpaca birthday cake, and a graduation. I couldn’t have imagined a happier set of celebrations. I was so blissfully unaware of the catastrophe about to beset us.

May 2017

Interlocking stitch

At least I got some crochet in whilst juggling hospital trips and the absence of a critically ill Mr R…crochet is not only my joy it’s my default when things get tough…my sanity.

This Baby Wilmer blanket, filled me with hope, a new life just entering this world, whilst life at the nest felt as if it had paused in some horrific nightmare.

June 2017

yarnbomb

Mr R had prayerfully turned a corner and our healing had begun, it was time for some fun and this yarny gate installation celebrated that!

Still healing, but healing well!

August 2017

I fell so in love with these adorable C2C (corner to corner)hearts that I just couldn’t stop hooking them! I couldn’t!!

They fell off my hook so quickly that before I knew where I was I had enough for a blanket of hearts.

I have to confess that I still need to border this lovely…yes it is still a PHD (project half done). In my defense I just can’t decide what colour to border it in!

September 2017

Corfu – Barefoot sandals

September felt much more ‘normal’ although I don’t know why…I spent a large majority of it bobbing around on a lazy river being drenched in golden sunshine on the amazing island of Corfu. I didn’t forget about you though…look I made these barefoot sandals by the pool… here’s the link to the free pattern just in case you fancy a pretty 20 minute hook up!

October 2017

November 2017

Grandma Dot Tea Cosy

Finally, the release of my newest tea cosy in the Grandma Collection…the Grandma Dot tea cosy. I don’t know why this took me so long to publish but it did. Anyway, thank you for your frankly very kind feedback about this free pattern…there will be another one coming very shortly in the new year.

December 2017

loom knitted beanie…

I told you 2017 ended on an up…the hat fit!

Enough said.

Thank you 2017 for the joy, for the triumphs, for the challenge and even for the heartbreak…for all the folk that have stood alongside me whether that has been for a few minutes, a few days or for those lifers that are always cheering me on… you know who you are.

Finally, thank you once again to you, for riding this journey with me… I think you are amazing and want to wish you all a very blessed and extremely yarny 2018…

I want to start by telling you how amazing this is to hook, how simple, yet stunningly beautiful.

I want to tell you how deliciously soft scheepjes merino is and how it creates such a gorgeous stitch definition.

I want to shout with joy at just how happy I am with these amazing mellow colours; but that will all become obvious when you see the pictures!

I started with this serene grey

lowry 604 Scheepjes merino soft…

This was a therapeutic hook, the subtle tone of the yarn, and the ease of the pattern made for a quick hook up of the main body. I really enjoyed that each stitch was made in between the stitches of the previous row and not in the top of the stitches as is usual.

My heart was skipping towards the next colour though. A teal; and one of my favourite colours of all time.

Ansingh 643

Next a perfect pink…

Degas 632

This yarn is a dream, it is a dk weight, but it has a satisfying plumpness to it, making it pleasantly squashy! This pale pink was followed by an equally gorgeous spring green.

Kandinsky 625

The quick colour changes make this pattern good for the soul…you know how I love colour.

Van Gough 641

This mustard colour makes me very, very happy, but then so does this sky blue…

Magritte 614

And so this enjoyable colour changing border continued…

Beautiful Stitches Abounded…squee…it is such a happy hook!

Until my heart near burst as the pattern instructed me to hook scallops and I politely introduced this even paler pink.

Titian 647

Just as I was getting a little too giddy with these colours, the pattern rescued me with a tad more grey; sobering me and gently grounding me.

I had a dilemma deciding on which colour to finish this charming shawl with…

in the end it had to be the mellow mustard (Van Gough 641).

I have a lot of love for this shawl and this yarn, so excuse my indulgence in a few more photo’s.

Details of the pattern and yarn, which I highly recommend can be found by clicking on the links at the top of this post, but just in case you can’t be bothered they are just here to.

xxxxx

Just as a footnote: this review contains my genuine opinions on this pattern and this yarn, for which I am not being paid.

And a little bit of that…

and a little bit all over the place really.

I am feeling most unsettled and have a severe case of startitis as a result!

The unfortunate side of this has meant (for the purposes of treatment) I have had to place a yarn order; which has not arrived yet, so I can not report if this treatment has been successful or not. I will let you know how the treatment goes in due course!

What I can show you is what I have on my hooks as a consequence of this starting infliction.

Sunday Shawl main body

This is the start of my new shawl, the Sunday shawl by Alia Bland. I am totally in love with it.

Tea cosy designing…

This is the start of my latest tea cosy I am designing for The Grandma Collection. I am pleased to have got off the blocks with this one as I have been meaning to start this for a wee while now.

A baby blanket…

Finally, I am still hooking this baby blanket too, which is looking mighty fine and is super squidgy.

So, as you can see I am hooking like a goodun’ and will have a pattern release very soon…subject to successful treatment.

Day 26 of

and we are almost at the end now.

The theme for today is ‘newest stash’.

This is luscious Scheepjes Merino Soft that was delivered just the other day by the fabulous folk over at Woolwarehouse. They have always given a prompt and excellent service and have a fabulous range of yarns.

This lovely collection of yarn is soon to be hooked up into the even lovlier Sunday Shawl.

I am addicted to shawls…It’s official!

The pattern is called ‘pink shawl’ by Cecile Balladino, available in Simply Crochet issue 31.

The pattern is a sumptuous mix of shells and popcorns and I absolutely loved hooking this shawl . It was not mindless hooking however, even though it is only a six row repeat, I had to keep count and keep note of where exactly I was in the pattern. Having said that, if you keep track the pattern is easy enough to follow and makes up quickly. Each time it came to hooking those scrumptious popcorn stitches my heart swelled with delirious satisfaction.

The yarn I have chosen is clearly not pink, and it is for this reason that I am slightly disappointed with the shawls name… ‘pink shawl’. I am often drawn to patterns by their names alone and this shawls name does not do it justice. At the very least it deserves a name that is pretty or elaborate.

That tiny twinge of disappointment however, is consumed with pure delight in this yarn. The yarn is the most beautifully soft cotton mix I have ever had the pleasure of running through my fingers and I happened upon it by happy accident.

I found it at the bottom of a bargain bin in my local yarn store, buried underneath some very unattractive yarn. It was marked at just 50 pence a ball. So I scrambled through the bin and found seven 50g balls. I paid £3.50 at the till in haste and left before the very lovely lady realised what she had just sold for so little.

Further serendipity ensured it was just enough yarn for this shawl too. I have used 325g of yarn for this shawl, although the pattern states 150g. This yarn was a dream to hook with, it slid with ease over my hook and did not split at all. It also has a very pretty lustre.

I think my shawl is a lot larger than the pattern, despite using the same weight yarn and hook size. The yarn suggested in the pattern is silk based whereas I have hooked with a Patons 45% cotton mix yarn.

But, I am extremely pleased with my shawls size, it is a real beauty to snuggle in and the cotton mix ensures the textured popcorns drape wonderfully.

I will most certainly be hooking with this yarn again, even if I have to pay full price and I will most certainly be checking out the bottom of more bargain bins!

The Virus Shawl bug, that is.

top secret hooking! that can now be revealed…

The yarn is Scheepjes Invicta Colour – 972, a 4 ply fingering weight yarn that is 75% wool and 25% polyamide. The colour way is just gorgeous and the yarn was easy to hook with. Occasionally the length of yarn withered thin, but remained usable nonetheless.

a perfect size shawl to snuggle with…

I adored the long colour repeats from turquoise blue into chocolate brown and sage green and couldn’t help get excited each time the colour change slipped over my hook…I don’t think I will ever get bored with the delight a colour changing yarn gives.

A perfect Christmas present for my Mom…

The eyelets that form in sequenced linear fashion amazed me. I couldn’t quite believe that a few trebles could create such a beautiful drape and fabric. They reminded me so much of a peacocks tail feather that I had to name this virus shawl The Chocolate Peacock!

All in all a beautiful hook up made all the more simple by following a youtube tutorial of which there are several, I really liked this one though

This pattern is all over the internet, I used this one on Ravelry as a free download.

As for the yarn would I use it again…

yes, to make another virus shawl of course, but this time in beautiful sunset shades (colourway 959).

proud to be featured

Mostly enjoying this busy, beautiful life with lots of yarn and a hook! I'm hooked on God, my 3 boys, Mr R and if your reading this then you'll know I'm hooked on crochet too!!
By day I am a full time nurse working in the community in children's health, but by night I am a maker of cute baby things. Pop over to my Etsy shop by clicking the tab at the top of this page or message me if you would like me to make you a custom order.
I also love to blog and Instagram my creative journey and design my own crochet patterns; you can find me by clicking the links below.
So thanks for stopping by...feel free to have a good old poke around...and I hope you enjoy your time spent with me because you are very welcome here xx